Shaw forcing consumers to use their digital cable box

[thetransporter]

Notice on many channels on the analog channels to use their TV box - many people have about 3-4 tvs in their house - thats going to cost 16 dollars more /per month as the first one is free .


http://www.shaw.ca/television/digital-network-upgrade/analog-customers/


They call us analog customers - but we all have digital ready TV's ... but shaw does not want to use that system of "clear qam"

[dj_rice]

My condo has the digital TV boxes BUT whats funny is it limited our # of channels we could watch.

By removing the digital box and connecting straight to analog cable outlet, I still recieve the same channels that the digital box blocked.

For example, without digital box, I can watch Spike TV, AMC, Comedy Network.

With digital box, I cannot watch Spike TV,AMC, Comedy Network BUT I gain Food Network.

So I bought a splitter and connect to different outlets on TV and watch both

[93VR6]

Did you know if you have internet through Shaw they can not block the analog channels.

Right now I pay 40 a month for internet and still get channels 0-50 and a few higher than that. Just plugged directly into the wall so I can't get anything HD but I only ever watched hockey in HD and since the season has been a write off I think ill stick to saving $50 or more a month.

[Grogador]

If you want more HD and faster internet, the analog tiers 1/2/3 (ch. 23-48) have to do digital. You can cram four SD or one/two HD digital channels into the space of one analog.

Basic is still analog (2-22, technically 31 too, 49+) and, unless things have changed, can still be blocked with a "red bumblebee" filter/trap, while letting internet (ch 14) and phone (ch 53) through.

None of the digital channels will be sent "clear QAM" as they are all premium. Some devices do support CableCARD that would allow you (with Shaw's ble$$ing) to tune encrypted QAM directly with your TV, however very few providers support it, and why would they? It doesn't benefit their bottom line at all, while renting/selling you a digital terminal certainly does in many ways.

This has been discussed for many years as upgrading the existing coax plant beyond 850MHz is expensive and difficult, so they just have to squeeze more down the pipe. It should be interesting to watch the modulation and video technologies evolve, like what the telcos have gone through with countless generations of xDSL, ADSL2, LRE, whatever.

The biggest obstacle discussed with going digital was all the senior citizens who can barely use their TV as it is, and how many service calls would be generated by giving them digital boxes. Yup, I used to drive around pressing the "TV/VCR" button on old people's remotes :facepalm:

[thetransporter]

sign the petition

i dont know if it will actually do anything.

https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/shaw-communications-inc-allow-us-to-use-our-own-tv-sets-built-in-digital-tuner

[spike98]

Originally posted by 93VR6
Did you know if you have internet through Shaw they can not block the analog channels.

Right now I pay 40 a month for internet and still get channels 0-50 and a few higher than that. Just plugged directly into the wall so I can't get anything HD but I only ever watched hockey in HD and since the season has been a write off I think ill stick to saving $50 or more a month.

Did you know, internet or not, shaw cannot block anything analog if you remove your filter on your line in the box in the ally. Tada!

[Recca168]

Originally posted by thetransporter
sign the petition

i dont know if it will actually do anything.

https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/shaw-communications-inc-allow-us-to-use-our-own-tv-sets-built-in-digital-tuner

It won't. See Grogador's post above.

The only way Shaw or any provider could let you use the built in tv tuner is if the TV has a cable card slot. Not many TVs support this and every cable provider in North America is trying to kill off this standard so nothing is going to change any time soon...

[speedog]

Originally posted by spike98


Did you know, internet or not, shaw cannot block anything analog if you remove your filter on your line in the box in the ally. Tada!
I guess one would have to question the legality of one's self going into that box in the alley.